Last Saturday was Independence Day.It was a time to celebrate and the national colours were out in full glare. The national leaders were on display at their best and the national flag was everywhere.
Awards were given for outstanding achievement in various fields. There was an air of carnival and an atmosphere of partying everywhere you looked. The shopping malls, no doubt experienced high sales and the sale of alcoholic beverages probably peaked.
Coming off the back foot of prayer and fasting, together with the rainbow phenomenon, some may say it had the appearance of a natural and almost fortuitous progression of events.
The hospitals were also on high alert because this is the time that euphoria and celebration often ends up in tragedy.
I suspect more time was spent merry-making than taking stock nationally about what has been achieved in 51 years of independence.
Few if any did so either personally or even nationally. Above all the euphoria and long winded speeches, there was the disturbing but lingering question how well have we done really? It is perhaps easier to ask that question of others than of ourselves.
The life expectancy for men in Zambia is 57 years that for women is slightly higher at 60 years.
Independence is about breaking free from the shackles of colonial or foreign rule.
It is easily forgotten that the greatest threat to our personal independence is disease. So while we celebrate our independence, we can only guard it if we ourselves are healthy. The best way to truly celebrate our independence is to be free of disease.
•What are the threats to my independence?
The irony of it, is that probably many people in the spirit of independence celebration, threw caution to the wind and put their health at risk this week, in the course of the independence celebration.
The tragedy off course is that,  it takes a life time to create good health, but only a moment of in attention to lose it all. It is often said that the greatest gifts we have are often the ones least appreciated.
This is nowhere more true than with health. It’s only when people fall ill that they begin to realise how wonderful and liberating good health is.
Once you lose your good health then you lose the independence you have to pursue your dreams and ambitions.
All the promise that was evident in your special talents, skills and abilities fizzles away into nothingness. So in taking stock of independence we must begin to treasure the good health that we possess.
Even beyond this we must become aware of the major threats to our health which exist around us.
One easy way to do this, is to ask the question, what are people my age, in this environment, grappling with in terms of maintaining good health.
It is not a question that comes naturally or easily. It is easier and more common to ask, the opposite question, which is, where are people my age having fun? Conversations around health or better health tend to be unpopular and frowned upon. The assumption is made that since we are all having fun and celebrating, we are all healthy.
Nonetheless when the music has died down and the Independence Day celebration is fading, ask yourself the question. The answer will depend on your age.
If you are 45 years and below, then the average person your age in Zambia will be struggling with infectious diseases.
These are diseases caused by germs (viruses, bacteria or parasites).
The most common three infectious diseases in Zambia at the moment are HIV/TB infection, STI (sexual transmitted infection) and Malaria.
If you are older than 45 years, then the people your age will be struggling with non-communicable diseases. These are diseases caused by lifestyle, habits and food. The three most common ones in Zambia are high blood pressure, sugar disease and cancer.
•Why are these diseases a threat to my health?
If you are below 45 years the risk of getting HIV infection is over 20 per cent.
If you are female this risk is at least 24per cent.If you are male it is about 21 per cent.
This risk is increased if you live along the line of rail, are well educated, employed and own a house or two.
The HIV virus infection also increases your risk of sexually transmitted infections as well as getting an attack of severe malaria. This is because the virus destroys your immune system.
On the other hand if you are over 45 years of age the risk of HIV declines, however the risk of  high blood pressure increases to well over 35 per cent .The chance that you will have sugar disease especially if you live along the line of rail is also well over 30 per cent.
Most people in this age group are getting sick, disabled or dying due to the complications from these illnesses, such as stroke, heart attack, Heart weakness (Heart failure) and kidney failure. These illnesses together increase the risk of cancer and in Zambia cancer peaks from 40 to 49 years.
The leading cancer of women is cancer of the cervix and the leading cancer for men is Kaposi Sarcoma (a cancer of  blood vessel lining) and cancer of the prostate gland.
These cancers are mostly caused by cousin viruses to HIV  which increase when the immunity(the body defence system) is low.
Many people ask the question why these problems have come now ? Our parents did not  have them? The reason for these problems relate more to history and economics rather than medicine.
In the 1980s the oil prices had risen and many African economies where faced with debt and declining incomes. We saw countries begin to try and trade more with each other and create regional blocs, like SADC, COMESA and PTA.
With the increasing migration of populations for trade and commerce within East and Central Africa, so disease spread along the trade routes. The HIV infection had started in East Africa in the 1980s. It spread quickly along the trade routes fueled promoted by commercial migration.
In about the year 2000, it began to decline slightly with improvements in treatments and many programmes directed towards reducing transmission among young people.
In about the 1990s a decade or so later the Chinese economy began to grow at a tremendous pace, demanding raw commodities to meet its insatiable appetite for infrastructure development.
The copper prices began to revive, the African drive to write off massive amounts of debt accrued by Africa countries bore fruit as well (by 2006 most African countries had their debts written off).
This resulted in a blossoming of economic fortunes for Zambia with massive re-investment in the mining sector, which had also been privatised.
The result was the development of a middle class and the diseases of the rich (high blood pressure, sugar disease and cancer). Now in 2015 the country faces both groups of diseases the diseases of poverty and the disease of wealth raging together in two different populations.
The biggest challenge most people face with these disease, is not one of ignorance, but one of indifference.
The reason for the indifference that many of us have towards our own health is difficult to explain, except to say that many assume that their biggest problem is one of poverty rather than health.
Therefore most people focus their energies on making a living, even if this may place their health at risk. These diseases pose a direct threat to health, because they are the main causes of disability and death in Zambia.
•How can I guard against these threats?
One the first things to do is to pay more attention and be less indifferent.
The biggest risk to our health is our own lifestyle. This is something we can do something about.
Unfortunately in many instances, it is the one we are least willing to change.
Many people enjoy their personal habits closely and do not value any criticism on them. Though they are quick to criticise the habits of others. Review how you spend you leisure time.
If you have a family try to involve your family in your leisure time.
Be moderate in your habits, don’t smoke excessively do not drink alcohol excessively. Spend some time on doing some moderate amount of exercise each day.
Have a simple diet plan. Eat what is healthy eat what is natural.
Eat white meat rather than red meat. Take vegetable fat rather than animal fat. Reduce your intake of carbohydrates (sugary food) and carbonated drinks (fizzy drinks).
Drink more water and roast your food more. Be moderate with your sexual habits. Do at least one thing a day towards a better and healthier you.
If you are below 45 years be careful about your sexual habits and behaviours.
If you are above 45 years be more careful about what you eat.
If you  take this attitude next year you will not only be celebrating national independence but also your own personal independence from disease.